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Oliver Jones

Rio Ferdinand gives 'borderline calamitous' verdict amid Leeds United's 'low ebb'

Former Manchester United defender and BT Sport pundit Rio Ferdinand believes that Leeds United's defensive problems have looked 'borderline calamitous' in recent matches.

The Whites are going into this afternoon's clash against Fulham off the back of two brutal humblings on home turf at Elland Road against Crystal Palace and Liverpool.

Javi Gracia's side will be desperate for three points as they try and stake their claim to stay in the top flight, but Ferdinand has pointed out that they must change something defensively in order to secure survival.

READ MORE: Fulham v Leeds United LIVE: Score updates as Whites aim to get back to winning ways

"It's borderline calamity at times when you look at it, wow," Ferdinand said ahead of the Fulham match on BT Sport. "I mean, confidence is shot but you look at the numbers, they tell their own story.

"It doesn't matter if you like it or not. They've got to find someone in there, we talk about [Liam] Cooper coming as captain of the football club, you need voices back there.

"You need people that are capable of gathering people, making sure people are lifted from the spirits. At the moment, it's a low ebb.

"For me, the functionality of the team, the way they're structured and set up needs to be looked at. I think they've been too easy to pass through and they've been missing tackles.

"Once a team beats the press, they're going straight through to the backline, especially in the last two games where they've conceded a lot of goals.

"It happens far too often, so many times. At the top level of Premier League football, you'll get punished if you're not right - and they're not right."

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